User:750h+/laterproject

=jag=

The Jaguar XJ (X351) is the fourth generation of the Jaguar XJ, a series of full-size luxury saloon cars produced by the automaker Jaguar Cars. Produced between 2010 and 2019, it marked Jaguar's departure from the conservative styling of previous XJs.

The development of the X351 began in 2005, and the design approval process took place in November 2006. The designers Ian Callum and Matthew Beaven led the styling team of the XJ, which included various other prominent stylers such as Giles Taylor, Adam Hatton, Mark Phillips, Nicholas Finney and Kim Challinor. Jaguar tasked the designers with producing a new design incorporating most of the underpinnings from XJ (X350). But despite the X350 serving as its basis, the X351 had to include a style that fit in with the newly-introduced but unrelated XK (X150) and the XF (X250), which were already successful within the market sector. Beaven claimed that the design team had developed a series of vehicles ranging from a sports saloon to a large luxury car. The team finalised the design in 2008, and the XJ debuted in July 2009.

The official series manufacture began in March 2010 at the Castle Bromwich Assembly facility in Birmingham, England, and sales started in May. Initially, XJs were produced only at the English facility, but in 2014, the assembly of complete knockdown kits began at Jaguar's facility in Pune, India. In 2015, Jaguar introduced a facelift for the X351, with its most prominent change being the inclusion of Jaguar's "J-Blade" headlamps. The production of the X351 ended in July 2019, after Jaguar had produced over 122,330 examples. An electric version of the X351 was to be launched in 2020, but plans were cancelled in 2021 due to the economic infeasibility.

Development
The development and design work of the fourth generation of the Jaguar XJ—codenamed the "X351"—began in 2005.

Bibliography and print sources
=van=

The first generation of the Aston Martin Vanquish, also known as the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish, is a grand touring car produced between 2001 and 2007 by the British automaker Aston Martin. Replacing the Virage, the Vanquish was available as both a coupe and convertible.

At the North American International Auto Show in 1998, Aston Martin revealed the "Project Vantage"; initially, Aston Martin planned for it to remain a concept car, but its design inspired the Aston Martin executives, and the company began developing a production version in March 1998. The designer of the Vanquish was Ian Callum, who previously worked on the DB7's exterior. The official production version of the Vanquish debuted at the Geneva International Motor Show in February 2001, and manufacture of the car began in March at Aston Martin's facility in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. The vehicle uses aluminium extensively throughout its construction.

A facelift was implemented in 2004, which involved improvements to its power output, revisions to its design, and improved aerodynamic efficiency, as well as a name change to "Vanquish S". The car appeared in the 2002 film Die Another Day for which it received widespread public interest and earned the number three spot on the "Best Film Cars Ever" list. The Vanquish also appeared in the 2003 film The Italian Job. Aston Martin discontinued the production of the Vanquish in 2007 after a six-year production run during which 2,589 examples were produced; its replacement was the DBS. The Vanquish nameplate was resurrected in 2012 with a model based on the DB9's chassis and platform.

Development
The Vanquish was conceived at a meeting in early 1997 between Jacques Nasser, chief executive officer (CEO) of Ford Motor Company; Bob Dover, CEO and chairman of Aston Martin; and senior executives at Jaguar Cars. Nasser proposed the idea of a concept car, to which the executives responded that they did not want one, but when the same proposition was presented to Dover, he expressed interest in the concept.

Nasser wanted the design of the Project Vantage completed in time for the January 1998 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). This required selecting a design by October 1997 and completely finishing the project by mid-December. Dover quickly implemented plans and processes to ensure the concept car was finished within the given timeframe; one of the initial steps was to search for a designer. Aston Martin, lacking a design department of its own, commissioned a design from the Kidlington-based racing team Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR), whose chief designer, Ian Callum, styled the DB7. Callum completed the design of Project Vantage in approximately twelve weeks.

The development of the Project Vantage involved engineers and designers from Aston Martin, Ford Advanced Vehicle Technology, Magneti Marelli, AP Racing, Cosworth Racing and ITT. Aston Martin, Jim Clarke and Ford Advanced Vehicle Technology developed the engine, Magneti Marelli produced the paddle shift transmission, and AP Racing produced the braking system. The Project Vantage used several advanced technologies in constructing the body structure and chassis. The body shell was constructed of aluminium honeycomb, while the extruded aluminium chassis sections and roof pillar were reinforced with carbon fibre. These materials resulted in a weight saving of fiftypercent and a torsional rigidity increase of onehundredpercent.

Aston Martin debuted the Project Vantage at the North American International Auto Show in January 1998. Initially intended to remain a one-off concept car, its captivated the Aston Martin executives and plans were implemented to put the car into series production. Following the motor show, Dover and his team began assembling the financial plan for the production version of the Project Vantage. Development of the production version of the Project Vantage, later named the "Vanquish", began in March 1998. Ian Minards, whom Jaguar appointed as lead designer for the XJ8 project, was the chief programme manager. During development, the codename of the Vanquish was "Project Bolton" before it received its "AMV08" designation. Dover stepped down as Aston Martin CEO in mid-2000 and was replaced by Ulrich Bez in July of that year.

Due to the more advanced technology incorporated into the car, the Vanquish required more extensive pre-production testing than usual. The development costs were rumoured to be much greater than the initial budget; Aston Martin stated at the Vanquish's launch that fifty prototypes had been produced. These cars were tested worldwide, including hot-weather testing in Australia and cold-weather testing in Canada; temperatures were as cold as -40 C and as hot as 81 C. The Aston Martin engineers collaborated with Lotus Engineering and Ford to increase engine efficiency and output with the help of the suspension expert Richard Parry-Jones. The prototypes collectively amassed more than 1500000 mi.

The production version of the Vanquish was revealed to groups of potential customers and designated media representatives in October 2000. It debuted in February 2001 at the Geneva Motor Show. The official series manufacture of the Vanquish began in March 2001 at Aston Martin's facility in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. At launch, Aston Martin planned to produce between 200 and 300 examples annually.

Design and construction
The construction of the Vanquish employed techniques derived from the aerospace industry to produce a strong and rigid platform without incurring extra costs. Its body structure is composed mainly of aluminium, composite materials and carbon fibre. At a factory in Worcester, England, pre-cut aluminium extrusions were riveted and bonded around the car's carbon fibre backbone. In comparison to the Vantage, the Vanquish reduced over fifty percent of its weight and had a torsional rigidity increase of 100percent. The car has a boot capacity of 220 L.

The Vanquish is considered both a grand touring car and a sports car. A two-door coupe, the Vanquish incorporates a two-seat layout, though a four-seat option was also available. Measuring 4665 mm in length, 1318 mm in height, 1923 mm in width, the Vanquish possesses a wheelbase of 2690 mm. The Vanquish's kerb weight ranges from 1820 to 1835 kg, while its gross vehicle weight is 2175 kg. With a drag coefficient of 0.33Cd, the Vanquish incorporates 19 in wheels held by Yokohama tyres.

The 5.9-litre V12 engine, as fitted to the Vanquish, generates 450 bhp at 6,500revolutions per minute (rpm) and 410 Nm at 5,000rpm. The Vanquish is a rear-wheel drive vehicle, and its engine is positioned at the front. The Vanquish offered a choice between two six-speed transmissions: a manual option or an automated manual. The car can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in approximately five seconds and possesses a top speed of 190 mph.

The Vanquish features 355 mm and 330 mm Brembo anti-lock disc brakes positioned at the front and rear, respectively. The Vanquish features variable-ratio power steering and independent suspension that incorporate forged aluminium wishbones.

Facelift and discontinuation
The facelifted version of the Vanquish, called the "Vanquish S", debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. The upgraded engine generates a power output of 520 bhp at 6,500rpm and a torque output of 425 lbft at 5,800rpm, sufficient to give the car a 0 to 60 mph of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 200 mph. Its transmission was also modified with a larger clutch plate and a higher ratio rear differential. The Yokohama tyres also are slightly larger and eleven-spoke wheels were standardised. A spoiler on the boot, as well as a redesigned front grille and sizeable front splitter, were implemented. It is 5 mm lower than the previous Vanquish, with a steering rack that is 20percent quicker and firmer springs and dampers. The aerodynamic alterations decreased the car's drag coefficient to 0.32Cd. The Vanquish S also incorporated the features of the Sports Dynamic Package—which was optional for the previous Vanquish—including stiffer suspension, revised steering, and larger brakes.

The production of the V12 Vanquish ended on 19 July 2007, coinciding with the closing of the company's Newport Pagnell factory after 49 years of operation. Despite ongoing enthusiasm for the original V12 Vanquish and V12 Vanquish S, the hand made nature of their construction limited production to levels commensurate with earlier cars assembled at Newport Pagnell.

Vanquish S Ultimate Edition
The end of the Vanquish's production run was celebrated with the Vanquish S Ultimate Edition. Aston Martin announced that the last 50 cars built would have a new 'Ultimate Black' exterior colour, upgraded interior, and personalised sill plaques.

Vanquish Zagato Roadster
The Vanquish Zagato Roadster is a right-hand drive, two-seat, open-top roadster initially shown by Zagato at the 2004 International Geneva Motor Show as a prototype and based on the V12 Vanquish. It was then displayed by Zagato at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where an American collector acquired the prototype. The car had to be flown back to Italy as it was only on temporary import papers before being properly imported to the US by a Massachusetts Aston Martin dealer as a "show and display" car. The car was offered at a Bonhams auction in Carmel in August 2015 at the Quail Lodge and Golf Club with an estimated price of US$700,000–850,000. The car had been driven 13,000 miles. The car's VIN is SCFAC13391B50PP19.

Vanquish Bertone Jet 2
The Vanquish Bertone Jet 2 is a 2-door shooting brake shown by Bertone also at the 2004 International Geneva Motor Show. The car gets its name from the 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT Jet also built by Bertone. The car was originally shown in silver in 2004 and in gold in 2013 again at the International Geneva Motor Show at the reveal of the Aston Martin Rapide Bertone Jet 2+2. Designed by Giuliano Biasio.



Vanquish 25 by Ian Callum Design
In September 2019, Ian Callum Design (the company started by Ian Callum, the designer of the first generation Vanquish) publicly revealed the Vanquish 25. It is a restoration package for the first generation Vanquish to "make the Vanquish the Grand Tourer for the 2020s,". Only 25 cars will be made by British company R-Reforged. The 5.9-liter V12 has been tuned to now make an advertised 580 hp, a 60-hp increase over a Vanquish S. The car can be had with the original six-speed, single-clutch Speedshift automated manual, a six-speed GM-sourced torque converter automatic, or a six-speed manual conversion already offered by Aston Martin Works.

Books


=mini=

The Mini is a small car produced from 1959 until 1968 by the British Motor Corporation, from 1968 to 1986 by British Leyland and from 1986 until 2000 by the Rover Group. It is considered one of the most influential automobiles of the twentieth century and is an icon of 1960s British popular culture. The Mini's design was maintained throughout its production which spanned forty-one years, making it the seventh-longest generation of automobile with an unaltered design.

The official series manufacture of the Mini began at the facility in Cowley, Oxford on 8 May 1959; the first unit is preserved at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The car was styled by the automotive designer Sir Alec Issigonis and developed under the codename "ADO15". The production of the Mini occurred in Longbridge, England; Cowley, England; and Sydney, Australia, before numerous other global locations were introduced in the subsequent years. The Mini was predominantly produced as a two-door saloon but numerous other body styles were introduced including a convertible, estate, fastback and coupe utility. The designations "Mini Cooper" and "Mini Cooper S" are used to denote the high-performance variants of the Mini. In Italy, the machinery works Innocenti redesigned the Mini and sold it under the "Innocenti Mini" nameplate. A utility and recreational derivative of the Mini called the "Moke", was produced between 1964 and 1993.

The Mini's space-saving transverse engine and front-wheel drive layout—allowing eightypercent of the area of the car's floorpan to be used for passengers and luggage—influenced a generation of automakers. The final Mini was produced at the Longbridge facility on 4 October 2000 after a production period of forty-one years, five months and twenty-six days during which 5,387,862 units had been produced. The automaker BMW acquired the Rover Group in 1994 and sold most of it in 2000, but retained the rights to build cars using the "Mini" name. Retrospectively, the car is often nicknamed the "Classic Mini" to distinguish it from the Mini Hatch family of vehicles produced since 2001.

Background and conception
The Mini was conceived by the British Motor Corporation (BMC), a conglomerate of Austin Motor Company, Morris Motors, MG, Riley Motor and Wolseley Motors that was formed 1952. The Mini was a solution to two opposing trends in 1950s Britain: the rise of economical 'micro' cars after the Suez Crisis and the growing influence of American culture in the post-war period. The Suez Crisis resulted from Anglo-French efforts to denationalise the Suez Canal in Egypt, resulting in its closure to Western shipping during 1956 and 1957. This closure disrupted oil supplies. The Suez Crisis also led to the reintroduction of fuel rationing in Britain and elevated taxes on luxury items. Consequently, the affordability of new cars was limited for many British citizens, which were also inefficient because of their outdated pre-war engines.

Background and development
The original Ford Thunderbird debuted in October 1954. Originally designed to compete with British, Italian, and German sports cars and the Chevrolet Corvette, it was the first time the Ford division sold two distinct model lines simultaneously. The Thunderbird incorporated various advanced technologies for its era, including power seats and a padded dashboard. Ten consecutive generations of the car were produced the tenth generation was discontinued in 1995. The introduction of the Volkswagen New Beetle in 1997 sparked a renaissance of retro-styling in American automakers.

Jack Telnack, the lead design director of the Ford Thunderbird project, initiated a competition among design studios in Italy, England, Germany, California, and Dearborn. After bringing a 1955 and a 1957 Thunderbird to Dearborn, the studio there won. J Mays, Telnack's successor, then handled the details, trims, fabrics, interior, and colors. The 2002 Thunderbird had the longest development process of any car Telnack worked on. Ford unveiled the car as a concept at the 1999 edition of the North American International Auto Show  and revealed the car's final design at the same motor show two years later. Official manufacture of the Thunderbird began in June 2001, at the assembly plant in Wixom, Michigan.